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In ninth round, Seattle glad to get college lefty Zokan

In ninth round, Seattle glad to get college lefty Zokan

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By Jacob Thorpe
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MLB.com |

With their ninth-round selection, the Mariners selected left-handed pitcher Jacob Zokan out of the College of Charleston (S.C.). Zokan -- Seattle's third left-handed pitcher of the Draft -- missed much of the 2012 season while battling an arm injury.

The Columbia, S.C., native was 4-3 with a 2.85 ERA in 17 appearances, including 14 starts this season. The 6-foot-1 senior struck out 80 batters in 79 innings of work, walking 29.

"He's a left-hander with a good breaking ball," Mariners scouting director Tom McNamara said. "We were kind of surprised he was there, but sometimes you've got to look at the whole picture. With the Draft pool and slotting system, it's not just take the best player every round and sign them, because you've got to watch your checks and balances, too. We're really happy with the guys we took this year."

He has a good frame with nice arm action, using a curveball and changeup to complement his fastball.

Jacob Thorpe is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.